Mellisuga Victoria, Gray & Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 103, Mellisuga, sp. 54.
Cynanthus victoria, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 81. Cy nan thus, sp. 6 .
Lesbia Victoriae, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 8 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 5, pi. 715. figs. 4622-23,
Psalidoprymna Victoriae, Cab. e t Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 52.
Habitat. New Granada, Ecuador, and Peru.
Dark or nearly black varieties not unfrequently occur among the Trochilidae; and I think that the bird to
which M. Bourcier has given the name o f Victoria is merely such a variety o f the L . Amaryllis.
191. L e s b i a e u c h a r i s Vol. III. PI. 171.
Lesbia bifurcata, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 5, pi. 716. figs. 4624-25.
Habitat. New Granada.
Considerable, and I fear inextricable, confusion exists with regard to the genera Lesbia and Cynanthus, which
would appear to be due to the various authors who have used those terms taking their characters from defective
descriptions or imperfect drawings, instead o f actual specimens. This confusion I have endeavoured to rectify by
applying the terms to the birds which I believe their respective proposers actually intended, and I do hope that,
for the sake o f science, they will be allowed so to stand for the future.
Leaving the genus Lesbia, then, we proceed to that o f Cynanthus, and here we arrive at some o f the most
remarkable and the most beautiful o f the Trochilidae. Strictly confined to the great Andean mountains and the
spurs which jut out as far as eastern Venezuela, these blue-tailed birds enjoy a range o f habitat extending from
the lands washed by the Caribbean Sea to Peru.
Those inhabiting the neighbourhood o f Bogota appear to be divided into two or three local varieties or races;
for they are not, in my opinion, sufficiently different to warrant us in regarding them as species. On the other
hand, the Ecuadorian bird possesses characters which induced me to consider it distinct.
The variation observable among the Bogotan birds is principally in the colouring o f the tail—some having the
whole o f the feathers blue, while others have the eight central ones tipped with beautiful green.
Genus C y n a n t h u s , Swains.
1 9 2 . C y n a n t h u s c y a n u r u s .............................................................................................................................................................. y 0 L 1 7 2 .
Lesbia forficatus, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 8 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 5, pi. 718. figs. 4628-29.
Lesbia Gorgo, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. pp. 8 ,2 4 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 5 ; Cab. e t Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 7 1 .
Habitat. New Granada.
A somewhat smaller and more delicate bird than the Cynanthus cyanurus occurs in Venezuela, having the whole o f
the body green, w ith the exception o f a patch o f blue on the th roat; and the crown brilliant metallic green, without
the superciliary stripe o f black seen in that sp ecies: I refrain, however, for the present from characterizing it as
distinct.
1 9 3 . Cy n a n t h u s c c e l e st is , Gould.
Habitat. Ecuador.
This new Humming-Bird is considerably larger than the C. cyanurus! it also presents a marked difference in
the colouring o f the under-surface, which is uniform coppery brown, instead o f gre en ; in other respects the
colouring is very similar to the specimens from Bogota, with green and blue tails. In no instance have I seen a
specimen from Ecuador with an entirely blue tail, whereas they frequently occur among those sent from Bogota.
194. Cy n a n t h u s M o c o a .
Cynanthus smaragdicaudus, Gould Vol. I l l PI 173
Habitat. Peru and Bolivia.
Specimens o f this species, like those o f the C. cyanurus, are found to differ considerably; but as it is a bird of
comparative rarity, we have seen too few examples to come to any positive conclusion as to whether these are
referable to one or two species. The C. Mocoa may be regarded as the southern representative o f the C. cyanurus.
I t frequents the forests o f Bolivia and Peru, particularly those clothing the eastern slopes o f the great Andean range.
As the Lesbia naturally led us on to the Cynanthi, so do the latter in their broad tail-feathers offer an alliance
to the Cometa; and, however much I have extolled the beauty o f any o f the preceding genera, it is scarcely possible
to select terms sufficiently expressive to convey an idea of the loveliness o f the birds comprised in this latter genus.
The two birds generally known under the names o f Sappho and Phaon are par excellence the most gorgeous birds in
existence so far as regards the colouring of their ta ils; and well do these living meteors deserve the more general
name o f Comets.
Genus C o m e t e s , Gould.
(Konr/Ttjs, cometa.)
Generic characters..
Male.—Bill longer than the head, straight, or slightly arched; wings moderate; tail long and deeply forked,
the feathers broad and luminous; tarsi naked; fe et small; hind toe and nail nearly as long as the middle toe and
n ail; throat luminous.
Female.— Smaller in size, and nearly destitute o f fine colouring.
195. C o m e t e s s p a r g a n u k u s ..................................................................................Vol. H I. PI. 174.
Cynanthus sparganurus, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, vol. ii. p. 146.
Trochilus ( Cynanthus) chrysurus, Tsch. Consp. p. 36, sp. 200; Id. Faun. Per. p. 244.
Orthorhynchus chrysurus, D’Orb. et Lafres. Syn. p. 26.
Sappho sparganura, Reich. Aufz. der Col. p. 9 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 5, pi. 724. figs. 4651-52.
Lesbia sparganura, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252.
Sparganura Sappho, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 52.
Habitat. Bolivia.
196. C o m e t e s P h a o n , G o u l d .................................................................................................................Vol. III. PL 175.
Sappho Phaon, Reich. Aufz. der Col. p. 9 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 5, pi. 725. figs. 4653-54.
Lesbia phaon, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252.
Sparganurus Phaon, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 52, note
Habitat. Peru.
1 9 7 . C o m e t e s ? G l y c e r i a ...........................................................................................................................Vol.III. PI. 176.
Sparganura Mossai, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 52, note.
Habitat. Popayan in New Granada.
This is perhaps the most extraordinary bird I have had the good fortune to describe. I have placed it in the
senus Cometes with a reservation; for it comprises characters which are found both in Lesbia and Cometes: in form
it most nearly approaches the latter, while in its markings and in the colouring o f its throat it resembles the former.
At present only a single example has been obtained, and this, I am inclined to think, is not quite adult; it may
possibly be only a young male o f a splendidly coloured but unknown species; and if so, a fine bird remains in store
to reward the researches o f some future explorer.
_ L | H H ! I . 198. C . . . . . . Vol.III.PI. 177. o m e t e s ? .......................................................................................................
Habitat. Peru.
Of this remarkable bird about four specimens have been in our collections for many years; but whether they
are males or females is unknown; for in fact nothing has been recorded respecting these puzzling birds. I f the
description accompanying my plate of the species be referred to, it will be seen that it has been bandied about from
one genus to another, different authors having assigned it to TrocUlm, liyhcharis, CalUpUot, and Aeoceltmm'.
Some day when the Uttie-known country o f Peru has been more fully investigated, we shall doubtless acquire a
better knowledge o f it, and be able to decide to which genus it really pertains; for the present let it remain in the
one in which I have placed it.
Genus P t e r o p h a n e s , Gould.
(Urepov, ala, et (palvco, ostendo.)
Generic characters. , . . . , , , , ,
M a le -B U I cylindrical, longer than the head, and slightly upcurved; mng, very large and sickle-shaped; la,I
broad and large; torsi clothed; fe e l small; M«i toe shorter than the middle o n e ; elms long, slightly curved, and
nknnn nt till! IVftlllt